Garden Planner, Feb. 23

Feb. 22, 2013

Written by

Stephanie Bruner

Special to the Register

This week

• It’s not too early to start planning for container gardens. If you’re new to container plantings, or if you’ve been doing it for years and are ready for a change, think about some new containers by the front door or another spot that you’ll be able to enjoy every day. When you’re shopping for containers, bigger is usually better — large containers are easier to maintain because they don’t dry out as quickly. And large containers have a lot more visual impact than small ones. Glazed clay containers offer a great traditional look, but they do need to be protected in the winter. Light-weight plastic or resin containers used to look cheap, but over the last few years many well-designed ones have been available for sale. Wooden planting boxes are a great way to showcase topiary. Or even try some galvanized metal tubs for a relaxed, informal look. (Just be sure to punch some drainage holes in the bottom, and plan to set them where they’ll get some afternoon shade to keep the soil cool.)

• Finish up your late-winter pruning of trees and shrubs now.

This month

• You can start seeds for most vegetables 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost. (The last frost date in central Iowa is usually somewhere between April 30 and May 5.) Make sure that you’ve cleaned all your seed-starting flats by scrubbing them with soap and water and spraying them with a bleach mixture. And be sure to use sterile seed-starting mix to avoid damping off.

• A good light source is crucial if you’re starting seedlings. A sunny window may work, but you may still need a little additional light. Don’t spend the money on a fancy grow light — a plain fluorescent shop light will work just fine. Hang it so that it’s only an inch or two higher than the seedlings, and move it up as they grow. Hanging it too high will result in spindly, stretchy seedlings.

• Cut back ornamental grasses to get the dead tops out of the way before new growth starts to emerge.

Stephanie Bruner is a freelance writer in Des Moines with a degree in horticulture.